1. Define Clear Objectives 

As is the case with any type of marketing strategy, you must first define clear objectives you have for your email marketing automation. Automation requires a lot of data collection and analysis, which would be a great waste of time without a concise plan for what to do with the information. You can reveal important insights about your buyers’ behaviors with the right email marketing strategy, which in turn lends itself to a successful email marketing automation strategy. Track your current email marketing efforts, including your initial email to potential customers to the thank you email after a lead purchases your product, and find out if they increase lead generation and nurturing. Use this data to define your marketing objectives.

Technology now makes repetitive email's a breeze with automation. Email marketing automation makes your efforts more effective, optimizing your time while still providing consumers with authentic, relevant email's. Automation helps you reach your business goals faster. With these goals in mind, clarify your objectives for your email marketing automation campaigns and tailor your efforts to meet these checkpoints.

2. Use Email Automation Correctly

Email marketing automation doesn’t mean automatically shooting reply emails to subscribers on your list. Email blasts often only irritate consumers or end up in the spam folder. Instead of inundating customers with what they perceive as spam, use your email marketing automation strategy to enhance your online workflow. Here are some examples of effective email marketing automation:

• Segmented email lists. Segment your list based on when consumers joined, what emails they tend to open, and their demographics. This enables you to tailor your message specifically for a group of people and send the right emails to the right customers.
• Timing your emails. Numerous studies show that there is a certain time of day and day of week when consumers are more likely to open and read emails. Test the timing for your brand, and set your system to automatically send emails at the optimal time.
• Offering customers control. A degree of control over how customers interact with your brand can go a long way toward securing their loyalty. Email marketing automation can allow your subscribers to manage their own preferences, setting how often they want you to contact them and what type of content they’re interested in.
• Sales force automation. Automation during the sales and customer service processes can prompt customer actions based on information that the system collected in prior steps following your email marketing automation campaign.

3. Use The Right Email Automation Service

Email marketing automation not only makes things easier for the business owner, but it also optimizes the customer experience. A foolproof email marketing automation strategy requires choosing the right software. Outline exactly what you need from your automation solution, and choose a provider with these features. Don’t go outside of your budget, and don’t be wooed by software with features you know you probably won’t use.

Final Thought: Email Marketing Automation Should Benefit the Consumer.

While email marketing automation is undoubtedly an incredibly convenient tool for business owners, it should ultimately optimize the user experience. Don’t let your email marketing automation strategy prioritize your own convenience over your consumers’ experience. Find out what your subscribers want, and use this information to tailor your email automation strategy. Customize each subscriber’s experience, cultivating a deeper relationship and more loyal customers. For more information about marketing automation and a proper strategy, contact us today.